Daniel Small was a key link between his two sons Daniel and James and other members of the gang who helped dispose of the Land Rovers and other farm vehicles which they stole in 28 raids.
He used a farm near his home in Plympton to store some of the stolen property so nothing incriminating was found at his own yard, where he bought and sold cars and vans.
Small, aged 60, claimed to be a born-again Christian who had found God and turned his back on a life of crime but mobile phone evidence showed he was linked to many of the burglaries and thefts.
He was found guilty after a two-week trial at Exeter Crown Court and will be sentenced alongside his two sons, who both admitted their parts in the conspiracy last year.
The gang targeted farms and businesses during a six-month crime wave in which at least £200,000 worth of goods were stolen.
They normally struck overnight at unattended farm buildings or small businesses and the raids spanned an area from east Cornwall to Plymouth, north and west Devon, Teignbridge and the South Hams.
The thefts included horse boxes, trailers, quad bikes, Land Rovers, and a rigid inflatable boat from Queen Anne’s Marina. The two sons even stole a pair of jet skis which they were seen trying to ride unsuccessfully at Wembury beach, near Plymouth.
The businesses include farms, riding schools, stables, car dealers, a cattery and caused massive disruption, especially to farmers who were unable to get their stock to market because trailers and transporters had been stolen.
Small only went out on a couple of the raids but was in constant touch with his two sons when they were being carried out.
He was also the link man with near-neighbour Barry Stephens, whose farm at Wembury was used as a staging post for much of the stolen kit before it was moved on or sold.
He was found guilty after jurors studied dozens of pages of mobile phone evidence based on which masts had picked up calls from the two sons on the nights of the thefts.
These showed they were not only at or near the scenes of the crimes but were also in regular phone contact with their father, who in turn was often in touch with Stephens.
The phone evidence linked in with automatic number plate surveillance on the A38, M5 and other main roads which showed many of the stolen Land Rovers were taken to a traveller’s site near Bridgwater.
Mechanic Maurice Isaacs, aged 44, of The Paddocks, Woolavington Road, Puriton, was also found guilty of being involved in the conspiracy despite claiming that others at the site were responsible.
Small, of Linketty Lane, Plympton, denied but was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to steal between July 7, 2015 and January 5, 2016. One count relates to farm machinery and the other to vehicles.
Maurice Isaacs denied the second conspiracy count but was found guilty.
Stephen Benney, aged 31, of the same site in Puriton, was cleared of conspiracy on the orders of the judge after evidence showed Isaacs had been using his phone at the material times.
He pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice by making a video-recorded phone call to Isaacs from the custody suite at Heavitree Road Police Station in Exeter asking him to dispose of their shared mobile phone.
James Small, aged 36, of Berkshire Drive, Plymouth, and Daniel Small, aged 25, of Ward Place, Plymouth, have both admitted the two counts of conspiracy to steal.
Barry Stephens, aged 59, of South Barton Farm, Wembury, has admitted receiving a telescopic lift, an Ifor Williams trailer, a quad bike and a Transit tipper truck which were recovered from his property.
Four other men have admitted related offences and all 10 will be sentenced later this year at a hearing which is expected to last at least a day.
Judge Erik Salomonsen released Daniel Small senior, Isaacs and Benney on bail.
At the start of the trial Mr Donald Tait, prosecuting, said the case concerned large-scale thefts of motor vehicles, particularly Land Rovers, and agricultural equipment such as trailers and horse boxes.
He said: ’Our case is that the Small family from Plymouth were the principle organisers of this crime wave. Daniel Small senior did not often leave home but was in touch with the others by telephone.
’They stole anything that was not nailed down and as you know, his two sons have both pleaded guilty to being involved in this unlawful enterprise.
’The principle people were Small and his sons and we say he was the principle organiser. All this stealing caused a lot of heartache to a lot of people.
’There was a lot of inconvenience where farmers were involved. It had an effect on their businesses. You can imagine the disruption when a livestock seller is unable to take their stock to market.’
The full list of alleged victims is:
Thorn Farm, Bridgerule, Holsworthy.
Coombe Farm, Lifton.
Callisham Farm, Yelverton.
Haytown, Horrabridge.
Westmac, Bittaford x 2,
Tor Town Farm, Moortown, Tavistock.
Station Yard, South Brent.
Romford, Essex.
Beacon Riding School, Bittaford x 2.
Queen Anne’s Battery Marina, Plymouth.
Yappers Farm, Tamerton Foliot,
Edgecumbe Road Motors, Lostwithiel.
Slipson Hill Farm, Yealmpton.
Whitley Farm, Thurlestone, Kingsbridge.
Parkway Industrial Estate, Plymouth.
Plymouth Van and Car Sales, Valley Road, Plymouth.
Well Park Farm, Dean Prior.
Wiswell Farm, Widecombe-in-the-Moor.
Barton Farm, Avonwick, Totnes.
Meads Farm Harford, Ivybridge.
Tin Park riding stables, Cornwood.
Lutton Farm, South Brent.
Dorwill Cattery, Ivybridge.
South Barton, Brixton.
Forder Valley stables, Plymouth.